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Original poster

Can we use public building to stay warm?

287 replies

Jobseeker19 · 06/02/2022 12:12

For example can we sit in the library or town hall for hours and use their central heating and charge our devices in their plugs?

I'm wondering if it will come to this if people cannot afford the new energy prices.

OP posts:
EYProvider · 06/02/2022 14:14

You’d think the UK was the North Pole from some of the comments on here. It’s only really a bit chilly during most winters apart from one or two odd days. Can’t you just put an extra jumper on?

ToykotoLosAngeles · 06/02/2022 14:16

@EYProvider

You’d think the UK was the North Pole from some of the comments on here. It’s only really a bit chilly during most winters apart from one or two odd days. Can’t you just put an extra jumper on?
It's not really about just keeping the occupants warm. My in-laws' house goes down to 13 when they go on holiday and leave the heating off. How are people supposed to dry clothes/towels? It's not like all clothing is tumble-dry friendly, or tumbling is free. Heated airers also use electricity obviously.
WorkEvent · 06/02/2022 14:17

Elderly and vulnerable people have been doing this for years.

FrecklesMalone · 06/02/2022 14:19

@Hearwego

I know this sounds ridiculous. I’m not the Chancellor, nor a businessman.

But what about the government basically paying a large share to the energy companies, to keep costs down. Almost like a loan.
Then, we as customers slowly pay it back over say, 5-10 years.
Basically the government pay a large share of our energy for us, we pay them back over a longer period.
May be ridiculous, but could stop people dying of cold, getting ill, getting into debt...

If only they gave a fuck if people die. If they did they would do something about it.
Monopolyiscrap · 06/02/2022 14:20

@EYProvider

You’d think the UK was the North Pole from some of the comments on here. It’s only really a bit chilly during most winters apart from one or two odd days. Can’t you just put an extra jumper on?
It gets far too cold in most houses without heating in the UK. There is lots of research about how this already causes increased illness such as asthma.
JaceLancs · 06/02/2022 14:20

How long do people have the heating on for?
I have mine on for 1 hour in a morning and 4 at night set quite low
We all wear lots of layers and if chilly and sat around use fleecy blankets
When I do work from home I can’t afford to put the heating on anyway

Monopolyiscrap · 06/02/2022 14:20

All day. I like to be warm.

ToykotoLosAngeles · 06/02/2022 14:22

I don't think "having the heating on" means the same thing to everyone. I put ours on 18 when we get up and then turn it off when we go to bed. We have a warm house so it hovers around 17 by itself most of the time.

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 06/02/2022 14:22

@EYProvider where are you in the uk? Its fucking snowing where i am and blowing a gale. Ffs im alright jack at its finest

Cleothecat75 · 06/02/2022 14:25

My dc are teens now, but when they were little, I spent a lot of time doing this. I used to go to the library a lot and also to the children’s centre. I did as many groups and classes there as I could and they never minded me taking a packed lunch to have between the sessions. I figured as long as I didn’t make a nuisance of myself, tidied up any mess we made and was generally helpful and polite, the staff didn’t mind us being there.

trumpisagit · 06/02/2022 14:28

We have lost our library and now have the mobile library visit twice a week. Only let 1 person on at a time, and don't give time enough for browsing if there is a queue.
There is nowhere you can go for free heat within walking distance of our house.

TheHaka · 06/02/2022 14:34

I’ve not been in a library for years but there always used to be groups of elderly men in there reading the newspapers. People seem to use Costco as office space seeing as they sit on their laptops. Shopping centers have always been full of people sitting around too. There used to be a man at our local Tesco that sat on a bench in there. I saw someone I know sitting in the hospital a few months ago, knowing him he was there for the warmth. The virus put an end to a lot of this.

Beekindbeehumble · 06/02/2022 14:40

Thankfully our local village has a centre where elderly can go a few times a week for a free hot drink, in a heated space and activities. Free transport for those needed

JovialNickname · 06/02/2022 14:40

Yes, people can and do! Spent countless childhood years tramping round public buildings to keep warm, and as an adult do the same (how lovely there are McDonald's, warm buses and shopping malls now). It's a way of life for many not a new phenomenon. Expecting to affordably heat a big house instead of wearing thermals / going out to a warm public place/ putting up with it is new (and I'm only 40!)

Notcontent · 06/02/2022 14:40

@EYProvider

You’d think the UK was the North Pole from some of the comments on here. It’s only really a bit chilly during most winters apart from one or two odd days. Can’t you just put an extra jumper on?
Where do you live and what sort of temperature do you find comfortable?

I live in London and while it’s not freezing most of the time, if I am inside I find anything less than 16 degrees is not pleasant even with extra layers on. 18 is ok if I have a thermal top on and a jumper. Dd and I spend a lot of time sitting down - not because we are lazy but because we are working…. To achieve those temperatures we need heating.

My small Victorian house has been renovated and insulated as much as possible but it will never be draught free.

Monopolyiscrap · 06/02/2022 14:42

And a Victorian house should not be draught free. Our house has ventilation vents because a previous owner tried to make it draught free, and that caused problems that then had to be fixed.

ikeepseeingit · 06/02/2022 14:44

I wish I could but my library is now only open for two half days a week. I'm surprised it's still open, they have closed almost all of them in my borough now. It's going to be tough for many.

Thesearmsofmine · 06/02/2022 14:46

Yes, there are few homeless men who do this in our library. The staff make them the odd hot drink and it means they can access the toilets and sinks for a quick wash etc, they also have free sanitary ware available for women too.

Laiste · 06/02/2022 14:48

In winter when i was a teen me and my mate used to go to the cinema during the day and literally lie low at the end of the film and sit through it all again, or slip into the next door screen and watch whatever was on in there as well.

Used to kill a good 4 hours and we were warm safe and dry. Keeping quiet and calm we were never caught.

Mind you - back then a child's ticket was less than half the price it is now !

DynamiteFilledRadish · 06/02/2022 14:51

My husband was made redundant in September due to disability. We are living off my wage only, which isn't enough. He does go to wetherspoons during the day to keep warm and use their WiFi to do his job applications. As the helpful poster above suggested, he obviously does wear extra jumpers and thermals and thick coats but part of his disability and a combination of the cocktail of tablets he is on mean that he is freezing cold all the time.

ParsleySageRosemary · 06/02/2022 14:52

Believe it or not this is one of the reasons publicly-funded spaces used to exist. The whole principle of public funding is to buy collectively, on behalf of and for the whole community, that which individuals could not afford or create by themselves. That applies to space as well as information and education (and entertainment) resources. Congratulations on rediscovering a principle known since at least Ancient Greek times.

The UK’s climate can and does kill over winter.

AwkwardPaws27 · 06/02/2022 14:52

@RedskyThisNight

Do wonder how many of the people currently keen to wfh will want to return to the office and someone else's heating bills ...
DH & I save over £500 a month WFH (live on the edge of London in zone 6, both used to work in zone 1) plus around 15 hours a
AwkwardPaws27 · 06/02/2022 14:53

*15 hours a week commuting time.

JugglingJanuary · 06/02/2022 14:55

@strawberrrycheeesecake

I can't imagine people pitching up just to keep warm and charge their household devices.

But libraries do have charge points/sockets for people wanting to work/research etc and use their computer.

Then you might want to check your privilege.

I'm not in that situation (thank fuck) but some people are & it's only going to get worse!

@Jobseeker19. I doubt your local library would mind you being in there all day as long as you're not doing anything anti social (talking in your phone, playing music etc) I guess it'll depend on your library, but most wouldn't be bothered about you charging your devices. The worst they'll do anyway is ask you not to.

Look for church groups too, they mostly don't care whether your a member/believer anyway, but they're good at making people feel welcome & making a cuppa.

Be warm & get all the help you can! Consider a rota if you have friends in the same situation.

IvanaTrumps · 06/02/2022 15:00

I do think there is a lot of drama over this.

My parents' home didn't have central heating till I was 16. We had an open fire in the living room and that was it. I had a convector heater in my bedroom as a 'treat' if it was very cold ( getting down to -10C.)

And for the first few years of my working life when I rented, 2 houses had no central heating.

You learn to put on layers of warm clothes.

And asking how you dry clothes. Mine go outside on the line unless it's raining, so when they are brought inside the dry faster, put on a clothes horse.

If you are old, ill or have a young baby, then you will need heating on at times. But for younger and fitter people, hot drinks, more clothes and a hot water bottle, if sitting at home make a big difference.